Window sash frame construction



1961 P. F. ALBEE, JR

WINDOW SASH FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed D60. 5, 1958 FIG. 2

ji/av m FIG. I

INVENTOR. PERCY FREDERICK ALBEE, JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,009,516 Patented Nov. 21, 1961 3,009,516 WINDOW SASH FRAME CONSTRUCTION Percy Frederick Albee, Jr., Barrington, R.I., assignor to Q-Panel Corporation, a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Dec. 5, 1958, Ser. No. 778,473 3 Claims. (Cl. 160381) This invention relates to window sash frame construction which While illustrated in connection with forming a screen window may be as readily utilized for forming a storm window. More particularly the invention relates to an improved frame or channel construction in which the edges of the window material may be frictionally held and an improved corner structure which facilitates frame assembly on the job.

It is found particularly desirable to be able to sell stormor screen windows on what is termed a do-ityourself =kit basis.

Hereto-fore, however, it has always been necessary in order to provide a neat looking job to miter the corners of the frame, which often is of aluminum. Mitering corners of an aluminum frame without expensive metal mitering boxes, is at best a tedious and painstaking job, if one is to obtain a first-class looking product from his labors. The present invention accordingly obviates some of the aforementioned difficulties by providing a perfectly cut and what might be termed pre-mitered corner, so that there can be no flaws in the formation of the window frame. Accordingly, it is one of the objects of this invention to improve upon the structure of window frames in general, and in particular to provide a novel corner structure therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pre-cut aluminum or other metallic channel with a V-shaped cutout which when properly folded together, will form a corner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel corner clamping or plug means which will hold the corner in assembled relationship.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the window frame of the invention with the four sides thereof shown detached.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of the end portion of one side rail of the frame showing the pre-mitered corner construction and the clamping means.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged plan view partially in section showing the details and the method by which the corner is formed.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the corner clamping and reinforcing plug piece.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the improved window frame of this invention comprises four sides 10, A, 10B and 10C which are each identical and which preferably are of aluminum and channel-shaped in the cross-section shown in FIG. 4. The preferred form of the frame, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, accordingly, consists of a box-like channel having a front face 12, an outer side face 13, and a rear face 14. A longitudinally extending recess is formed by an integral channel formation of the face material, the edge portions of the faces 12 and 14 being initiallyspaced as at 18 and then coming together as at 19 and bent at right angles together forming the inside wall 16 that completes the recess 15, the two edges of the faces interlocking as at 17 by rolling one end over the other to form a bead.

At one end only of each of the frame members 10, a V-shaped cut is made in the channel extending from the inside wall 16 up to but not including the side wall 13. This cut is shown in FIG. 2 as comprising two 45 cuts as measured from the longitudinal extent of the frame piece which cuts will meet at a right angle to each other. Additionally, each frame piece has the cut made at a location so that the distance X, as illustrated in the drawing, from the end of the frame to the bottom of the cut, is the same for each frame section, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. Thus the miter cut which is generally indicated as 20 on the drawing, is basically pro vided with two sets of edges 21 and 22 which will eventually abut each other when the wall 13 is bent to a right angular position.

In order to maintain the corner in the bent position, which it will assume upon bending wall 13 and abutting edges 21 and 22, and also to fasten the frame pieces together, there is provided a corner clamping plug of a particular configuration to cooperate with the channel. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, this corner plug, which is generally designated 30, is provided with a central section 31 from which radiate arms 32 and 32', foo-t portions 33 and 33 and a key projection 34. An arcuate groove 35 is formed between the foot portions 33, 3-3 which arcuate groove is adapted to receive the threads of a screw as will hereinafter appear. It will be noted that this particular member 30 is sized to fit into the channel formed by the walls 12, 13, 14 so that the two arm portions 32, 32 fit into the corner junction of walls 12 and 13, and 13 and 14 respectively. Similarly the foot portions 33, 33' bear against the recess 15 in the wall 12, and the keyway projection 34 enters the space 18 and prevents improper insertion of the member 30 within the channel. Basically, therefore, it may be said that the member 30 serves as a strengthening member with respect to the aluminum framework by supporting each of the corners of the channel formation. This then prevents to quite a great extent twisting of the frame per se, and gives it greater rigidity against impacts against the face walls 12 and .13 and 14.

In order now to more fully understand how the various parts are correlated together and cooperate to form a unitary structure, let us assume that the frame sections 10 have been purchased in their straight longitudinal form such as is shown in FIG. 2. One then measures the sides of the area the window is to cover, which area presumably is a perfect rectangle. Without bending each of the frame pieces, the frame pieces are each cut so that from end to end the distance is that measured, the cutting taking place on the end remote from the mitered portion 20. The next step is to bend up all the corners by mating the edges 21, 22 and then the corner clamping plugs 30* are inserted in the short leg of the bent piece so that the end of the plug butts up against the wall 13 of the long leg of the bent piece and then a self-tapping screw 37 is inserted through a pre-cut hole 39 in the side wall 13 which aligns itself with the groove 35, and the screw is then driven home. Before the screw 37 is driven home, it will undoubtedly be noted that the two edges 21, 22 of the miter cut 20 do not exactly meet after manual bending of the corner section. This is due principally to the fact that the metal used will not completely deform upon bending and retains some elasticity. However, since the plug 30 has the ends thereof cut square to the longitudinal extent thereof, the head of the screw will naturally pull up the two channel sections into a perfect right angle, a pivoting action occurring at point 38 to result in a complete abutment of the side wall to the end of the member 30, as seen in FIG. 3. Accordingly, with precision cuts having previously been made as at 21, 22, a perfect miter joint is formed.

When each of the frame sections have beeen formed as briefly described above, the frame is then assembled. Referring now to FIG. 1, one starts with the frame piece and assembles the corner junction in the direction of the arrow 11, the plug 30 passing into the free end of the frame section 10A. Then proceeding around the frame in a clockwise direction, the corner of section 10A is inserted in the direction of arrow 11A into section 10B, and the corner of section 10B is inserted in the direction of arrow 1113 into section 10C, and finally the corner of section 10B is inserted in the direction of 110 into the first frame section 10. To finish the job, either a piece of screen cloth or plastic transparent storm sheet material such as polyvinyl chloride is laid over the frame with an overlap on all sides, the frame lying with the groove 15 side up. A circular spline material such as 40 is then pressed into the groove 15 Working from the center point of each frame section toward the ends in even fashion, and then repeating the same operation on the opposite frame side until all four sides have been completely splined. If of course there is some wrinkling, the spline may be pulled out and the wrinkles removed by stretching the screen or storm material slightly, the spline then being rerolled in the same fashion. Excess spline material and screen or storm material is then removed and the window is completed.

The finished frame may be mounted in a variety of fashions, either by using special mounting clips or by merely screwing the frame to the sash opening. It will of course be apparent that if the frame is once made up for a storm window, it can be readily changed by merely pulling out the splining material, removing the storm sheet and replacing it with screen cloth or vice versa. This improved window frame, as described above, may accordingly be readily assembled in the field and just as readily taken apart if need be for storage or the like by first taking out the screen cloth or storm sheet and then disassembling frame members in the reverse order in which they were assembled,

leaving the corners intact. It will, of course, be understood that many modifications may be made in the design arrangement of the parts, and in particular of course, the particular shape of the frame channels may change from that illustrated in the drawing, the main requirement being that there be provided some type of a channel or cylindrical portion into which the corner plugs 30 may be inserted, and that the cross-sectional shape adapt itself to a mitered corner.

I claim:

1. A sash frame comprising four sections, each section formed of a strip of metal having a box-like channel adjacent the side wall thereof and a groove formed near its inner edge, each of said sections having the box-like channel and groove mitered adjacent one end thereof so that each miter is located the same distance from said one end and leaves a continuous side wall, said sections being bent at said mitered points to fold the groove portion inwardly, a plug received in said channel at the said one end of said sections and in the adjacent end of another section, and means for holding said plug at the miter.

2. A sash frame as in claim 1 wherein the internal chana nel is generally rectangular in cross-section and said corner plug is snugly received by the corners of said channel.

3. A sash frame as in claim 1 wherein the end Walls of said plug are at right angles to the longitudinal extent of said plug and said plug has a screw fastening receiving means in one end wall thereof, a screw passing through the side wall of said section and into said screw fastening means to draw the end wall of said plug into abutting relationship with the side wall and maintain the edges of the miter together.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

